


I Fell for your Witchy Ways

by Living_Free



Series: Witchy Ways [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst, Caring Dean, Castiel and Bees, Castiel and Cats, Cats, Crack, Doctor Adam, Fluff, Humor, Hunter Dean, Hunter Sam, John Winchester's A+ Parenting, M/M, Magic, Meddling Sam, Motherhen!Dean, Shy Castiel, Witch Adam, Witch Castiel, Witch Kevin, Witch Lucifer, Witch Michael, Witch Raphael, wee!angels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-01
Updated: 2015-10-27
Packaged: 2018-04-12 09:15:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 16,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4473698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Living_Free/pseuds/Living_Free
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean and Sam Winchester are two magically augmented hunters who save innocents from the things that go bump in the night. Dean is convinced that he has it all in the form of his baby brother, but secretly pines for something more.</p><p>Sam has had it with Dean's worrywart ways and his thermoses of warm soup, and is resolved to find someone who compliments his brother as a life partner. Dean deserves that much happiness.</p><p>Enter the shy Castiel Angelus, one of the most powerful witches in the country, co-owner of Angelus Witchy Wares, with a drop dead gorgeous body, clear blue eyes, and a fascination with bees. With him come his eccentric but well meaning brothers, Michael and Lucifer, who may or may not have a thing for each other, going on for centuries now. </p><p>Also includes a perpetually upset Rahpael, his apprentice Adam, Lucifer's apprentice Kevin, and baby Samandriel. </p><p>Join these two families on several quests to find love, a way into Cas' snug pants, Sam's battle with soup, and Kevin's battles with Lucifer's eccentricities! </p><p>All this and more in the story! Onward, dear friends!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Brothers Winchester vs The Brothers Angelus

Let it be noted that when Sam Winchester finds a new, scary, and possibly life threatening hunt, Dean Winchester will not be far behind, armed with a watchful eye, a mean right hook, and hot soup to feed Sam later. After all, sasquatches needed their nutrition. And so, we come to present day...

*~*~*

"Dean, I'm fine, could you give it a rest with the soup?"

"Shut up and eat, Sam," Dean growled, "you look like a twig. That werewolf really took it out of you."

"Dean, you're the one who got in the middle! You're the one with the gash across his freaking eye! Would you get some rest?"

"Hush up, Sam. I'm fine, I'll heal," Dean placated his younger brother. 

Sam grimaced and spooned more soup into his mouth, knowing that it was true. Dean healed at an abnormally fast rate, and a definitely inhuman rate. This was due to a bout of sorcery that a younger Sam had engaged in, using Dean as his unknowing target. Ten years prior, at fourteen years old, Sam was convinced that Dean was going to get himself killed on their father's maniacal orders, and resolved to find some way to make Dean damage proof. Several nights of clandestine research and one spell later, Dean was granted accelerated healing and an abnormal metabolism, which resulted in slower aging as well. Dean had joked that Sam had made him into Captain America, and that he understood Sam's worries. Things had looked like they were going to be fine, until they weren't. 

John Winchester had discovered that Sam had dabbled in witchcraft and had first augmented Dean, and then himself. John had gone ballistic, accusing them both of going dark and becoming inhuman creatures - "just like the ones I hunt!" In his madness, John had tried to lay hands on Sam, only to find that both his sons did not wound as easily as regular boys did. He also found out that when roused, Dean's protective streak was a virtually unstoppable force to contend with. Dean had promptly knocked John out, while Sam had tied him up. At their wits end, the boys regarded their seething father in the chair, knowing full well the extent of his madness.

Realizing that neither of them were safe from him, Dean had sent Sam out of the room to have a few final words with his father. 

"I'm not a monster, so I'm willing to let you live. Consider that a mercy. I'm not usually so lenient on people who try to hurt Sam."

"Can't you see what he's done to you? To himself? You're freaks now! You're abominations!"

Dean had shaken his head sadly and replied, "You wouldn't know an abomination if it painted itself purple and danced naked in front of you." He sighed, "I guess this is it. End of the road."

"You monster! You'd kill your own father for your disgusting perversion with magic! You're no son of mine!" John had spluttered in rage.

Dean had felt his heart break as he replied, "Maybe that's for the best," and had walked out of the room. Sam took his place and had performed a memory charm, obliterating John Winchester's memories. The boys had then loaded him into the Impala, and had dumped his unconscious form in the next country. Dean was reluctant to say good bye, but upon looking at a bereft, broken, Sam, the decision had practically made itself. He had left John Winchester behind on a rickety park bench in Canada, and hadn't looked back. He had Sam, and that was all that mattered, ultimately. 

Sam shook himself out of his reverie when his phone pinged. As he read the message, his eyes bulged with excitement. Dean looked up from his own soup just in time to catch the overzealous gleam in Sam's eye. That meant only one thing - a new hunt. A new hunt meant copious amounts of research. That in turn meant that Sam would get do worked up that he would forget to feed himself, leaving Dean to man both the guns and the stove. Best get a head start, Dean thought, and made his way over to the store to start a new batch of soup and sandwiches. 

"Dean-"

"I know, new case."

"Yeah, Charlie just sent me a snippet. There's a rash of probable demonic activity in Salem, Massechusets. Apparently, these random group of people just popped up out of nowhere and started hexing kittens and kids just for the heck of it. It's died down quite a bit, but whoever's handling it probably needs help keeping it in check and away from the notice of the general public."

"Ugh, demons. Don't they have enough to do in Hell?"

"Apparently not. We should hurry up, Dean. We also need to pick up some supplies along the way," Sam said, already rising to clean his dishes. 

Dean slumped in his chair in exasperation. Where did Sam get all that energy from? He was getting too old for this, dammit.

"I'm getting too old for this, dammit," Dean groaned.

Sam shot him his patented "I am severely unimpressed with your attitude" look. "Dean, you're twenty-eight!"

"I'm twenty eight, have more battle scars than a person more than double my age, my joints creak, I'm perpetually single, and the closest I'm ever going to get to having a kid is with looking after you!" Dean whined.

"So you're sexually frustrated and your biological clock is ticking. I know a way to fix that," Sam said patiently.

"Yeah, how?" 

"It's called getting off of your butt and moving around the place. Maybe you can find someone in a new city! Maybe this time, you can come back with a spouse and a nephew or niece for me!"

Dean groaned as Sam flounced off to pack their things. He set out the thermoses and ziplock to pack the simmering soup and sandwiches in. Maybe this time he would get lucky. Just maybe. 

*~*~*

The next morning found an excited Sam and a grumpy Dean in the impala as they entered Salem. Sam had been spouting facts about the case and the small town like he had digested an encyclopedia. The only way Dean knew he hadn't was that the only things Sam ate were the things Dean fed him. 

"Dean!" 

"What?"

"We forgot to pack the herbs for summoning rituals," Sam shrieked. "We need to find some, we might need it! We need sage, and belladonna, and thyme, and dried carnations, not to mention lambs blood-"

"Breathe, you idiot, before you hyperventilate," Dean snapped. "I'm not gonna give you CPR!"

"Ew, Dean."

For a solid ten minutes afterwards, Sam kept wringing his enormous hands in worry, while Dean studiously ignored him, and kept a look out for a fresh market. This seemed to work fine, until Sam's shriek pierced the silence once more.

"Dean! Dean!"

"Dammit Sam, you're going to make me crash the car!"

Sam was still flailing inarticulately, gesturing wildly out of the window. Dean followed his finger and saw the reason for Sam's distress. A brightly decorated, yellow colored shop front displayed several talismans and herbs. Above the window was the store's name - Angelus' Witchy Wares. Beneath that in cursive script were the words "All your Magical Supplies in One Place!"

Dean's mouth dropped open. What were witches doing broadcasting their presence here? It was probably a joke shop, or run by some mystic idiots who had never even seen a ghost, Dean reasoned. With a gesture to Sam, the brothers stepped out of the car, and made their way into the oddly chipper looking shop. The door swung open to reveal a pleasantly clean and organized store, with shelves stacked high with powders and various herbs. The were a set of bee-shaped wind chimes by the window, jingling pleasantly with every breeze. Behind the burnished wood counter stood two men - or models, Dean thought - dressed rather well to be running a kitchshy store such as this. Both male models noticed their entrance simultaneously and focused their attention on the Winchesters with hawk like precision and focus. Dean hesitated at the entrance, thrown by the sudden focus. There was definitely something up with these two. 

"Um..." 

"Do shut the door," the blonde man drawled, "the store will get drafty."

"Be nice, Luce," his partner chastised. He swept his dark hair away from sharp, grey, eyes, and gave Dean a thoroughly insincere smile. "I'm Michael, how may I be of assistance?"

"We, um, we need some supplies," Sam stuttered. There was something throwing him off, and Dean looked at him concernedly. Sam rubbed the back of his neck, where an itch had started to develop.

"I see," the blond man - Luce - said. "It is our practice to inquire as to the nature of your wares, and also the purpose you will employ them for. One can never be to careful with witchcraft, isn't that right, Michael dear?"

"Oh, definitely, Luce, we must take utmost care."

Sam and Dean silently itched and appraised the two mysterious men - Michael and Luce?

"Yeah," Dean said skeptically, itching the back of his hand, "I don't see how what we do is any of your business, so if it's all the same to you-"

"Oh, but it is," Luce cut in silkily, "you see, selling of magical wares often carries associated consequences. God only knows what havoc you may wreak with the correct combination of items. We would be complicit in your guilt if you harmed anyone with our wares, and that simply wouldn't do, would it Michael, love?"

"Definitely not, Luce darling, we wouldn't want to have any innocent beings in harms way, not from our wares, no sir."

Dean barked out a harsh laugh, having use about had it with the pretentious partners. "C'mon, you guys? Magic? You guys have bee shaped wind chimes for crying out loud! And look - jars of scented honey on the shelf! That's not remotely magical or dangerous! You guys are no more magical than my left foot!"

Michael arched a pristine eyebrow and smirked. "That would be highly contradictory of you, seeing as your whole body, which includes said foot, does carry some rather heavy magical spellwork. What is it, healing? It does give off a defensive aura, does it not, Luce dear?"

"Oh, definitely magical, Michael. Methinks the men are a tad defensive, not to mention unintelligent."

"Hey!" Dean cried. 

"As for the potency of our own magic, I think that our detection spells are working quite well. Judging by the pattern of the rashes on your skin, I would say you are hunters," Michael spoke over Dean. Dean and Sam looked down in shock at their hands, which were sporting identical rashes. Michael continued, "and one would wonder why a hunter would enter a witches apothecary, if not for some nefarious purpose."

Dean and Sam stood gobsmacked for a solid minute before their senses returned. "Ok, fine!" Dean blustered, "we're hunters. How the hell do we know that you're not the bastards troubling this town? You're witches!"

"So are you, technically, even though you don't use magic anymore" Luce mused. "You can't very well use that excuse with us. As for us causing trouble, why would we do that? We live here and have done so for a significant amount of time, we rather like the town the way it is." 

"So you're not responsible for the missing children and cats?" Sam hazarded a guess.

"Ah, no," Michael said. "We also know that they did not purchase the necessary ingredients from us, or our wards for malicious intent would have been tripped. Whoever this troublemaker is, they are not affiliated with us."

There was a tense silence as all four men sized each other up. It was broken by the sudden chime of the doorbell, which caused all the men to focus on the door. Just inside the store stood a young man around his mid-twenties, with periwinkle blue eyes and sinfully mussed bed head. These, along with his chapped lips and chiseled features lent him an air of unassuming innocence, which was heightened by the baby blue sweater with a large, smiling bee on it. This modern Ganymede was holding several bottles of scented honey, and smiling at the men over the counter.

As if drawn by a magnetic force, he drifted steadily closer to the newcomers and stopped directly in front of Dean. For a long moment, he and Dean simply held each other's gaze, and Dean felt a warm feeling seeping to his extremities from his gut, and recognized it as a simple spell of intent. Apparently satisfied, the silent young man gave Dean a small smile and placed his hand over Dean's. Dean felt a jolt of electricity and unaccountably, butterflies in his stomach, as he realized that the man had healed the rashes caused by Michael's and Lucifer's identification spell. 

"Wow," Dean breathed, "thanks..."

"Castiel," his dermatological saviour said quietly. "Castiel Angelus." He gestured to the men behind the counter, "Michael and Lucifer Angelus, my brothers, and owners of the store. You are welcome here, hunter..."

"Abuh..."

"I'm sorry?" Castiel asked with a tilt of his head. Dean felt the butterflies erupt into song and dance in his stomach at the sight. 

"Dean," he said artlessly. Lucifer was chuckling, as he watched the brazen hunter suddenly melt into goo at the sight of his angelic younger brother. Michael on the other hand was watching with narrowed eyes, and decided that Castiel was too pretty and innocent for his own good. 

"Go inside, Castiel, and file down the griffin's claws. We shall deal with these men. And cover up," he yelled as Castiel shyly waved goodbye and disappeared up the stairs. Dean gazed after him in a dream like state, and allowed a dreamy smile to settle on his lips. Deciding that he had had enough, Michael stepped forward and deftly slapped Dean across the face.

"OW! What the hell, man," Dean groaned, massaging his cheek. 

"You will cease ogling our chaste, innocent, younger brother, Dean Winchester. You will state the purpose for which you have come here, purchase your wares, and leave," Michael ground out. "I will not tolerate it if someone meddles with his delicate feelings, and if you should attempt to trifle with him, I shall summon the fires of Heaven to smite you," he said. As he spoke, flames licked at his fingertips and worked their way around his wrists. 

Dean snapped out of his reverie and glared at Michael. "What the hell! I wouldn't do anything like that! My brother and I bust our balls to keep people safe! I'd never hurt an innocent, least of all a sweet guy like Cas!" 

Michael stepped back, considering. "Cas?"

Lucifer stepped in, "Sweet?"

"Gah!" Dean exclaimed. "He's a nice guy, you know what I mean! I'm not going to jump him because he's attractive!"

"Yes," Lucifer mused, "we do know what you mean."

After an uncomfortable silence, Sam twitched uncomfortably and asked with extreme politeness if they could please purchase some herbs, pretty please good sirs, so that they could help the townsfolk with whatever demon was harassing them. 

"You speak truthfully," Michael decided, looking at Sam. "With your magical augmentation, you may very well be able to tackle whichever demon is plaguing this town. But be forewarned, the Angelus witches act as protectors and mediators for supernatural affairs, as we have long done, and will not be drawn into shedding blood. We will aid you, but we will not actively pursue the miscreant. That will be your job. Think of it as a test of your mettle," Michael said.

Sam nodded eagerly, sending his hair flying at odd angles. "Oh, sure, thanks Mr. Angelus, you won't regret helping us, sir!" 

Dean looked at Sam incredulously and rolling his eyes, followed his lead. He recited the ingredients they needed, and Lucifer efficiently had them zoom off of shelves and into his hands so that he could bag them. Once the bill was settled, Dean and Sam turned to leave, but stopped at the sight of Castiel descending from the stairwell, a small talisman clutched in his hands.

He stepped forward purposefully and halted in front of Dean, and after a second's hesitation, pressed the small, bee-shaped pendant into his hand. "Michael and Lucifer may need you to prove your worth before they not consider you an active threat, but the fact that you have come to rid our town of a demon, and with no ulterior motives is proof that your hearts are clean. The talisman serves as a protection charm. It is minimal, but should be enough to fend off one blow."

"Castiel!" Michael barked. "What are you doing, child! Cease your interaction and go cover up like I told you to!"

With a last glance at the brothers, and a small smile that turned Dean into jelly once more, Castiel disappeared up the stairwell. Dean tucked the pendant away carefully, before turning to face Michael. "Cover up? He was wearing a sweater!"

"I would wrap him in a blanket if it meant keeping roving eyes away from him, hunter. If I also had to gouge out said eyes, I would, make no mistake. I've done it before," Michael snarled as Lucifer cheerfully waved a small, lethal looking knife he had just materialized. 

Dean gulped, but before he could give a witty retort, Sam had steered him out of the shop with a sickly sweet smile directed at the Angelus brothers. Once outside, Dean turned to Sam angrily and yelled, "Sam! Why the hell did you suddenly turn into a stepford person? Those jerks-"

"Dean, didn't you realize who they were?" Sam whispered shakily. Seeing Sam's distress, Dean calmed himself down and shook his head. Sam continued, "Michael, Lucifer, and Castiel Angelus? They're down in magical lore as some of the most powerful witches in the Americas, Dean. The entire Angelus family has been here since the Salem Witch Trials, Dean, and their interference saved hundreds of innocents and witches alike from death! We can't mess around with these guys, Dean. If they think we're a threat to their town, they'll turn us into gerbils!"

A beat later, Dran snickered. "Geez, Sam, I didn't know you were a fanboy." Dean sobered up and continued, "I won't antagonize them, alright? Those jerks just rubbed me the wrong way, is all."

"Those jerks? You didn't seem to mind Castiel. As a matter of fact-"

Dean flushed a bright pink and slapped Sam's arm. "Shut up and get in the car, doofus!"

"Whatever, Dean, I won't talk about 'sweet Cas' anymore. You have that pendant to remember him by, don't you?" 

Dean clenched the bee talisman tight, and spluttered indignantly. "So what? The guy's cool, he didn't give us eczema! He's easy on the eyes, and kinda cute, you'd have to be blind not to notice! Now get into the damn car before I make you!" 

Sam chuckled happily as he got into the impala. Maybe Dean would find someone on this trip after all. It'd give someone else to focus his soup and sandwiches on, and Sam was hopeful that someone else would appreciate his brother and his food as much as he did. And if that person was a certain he-witch with a bee fascination? Well, Sam was not one to stand in the way of love.


	2. Michael the Worrywart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introducing baby Samandriel and the beleaguered Kevin Tran, apprentice extraordinaire. Also Raphael and Adam, who get along surprisingly well.

Lucifer watched the hunters leave and turned to soothe Michael, who was already fretting. He admitted to himself that he would love to wrap a blanket around Castiel and keep him in his pocket, safe, for the rest of his very long life, but knew that it would be counterproductive. Despite his innocence, Castiel was a whip smart, clever little witch, who could undo any spell thrown at him. Michael himself had ensured that when he had trained their little brother. 

"They were looking at each other!"

"I know, pet, I know."

"Looking! With feelings!" Michael spluttered.

"I know, pet, I saw," Lucifer sighed. "You know, Castiel will find someone eventually, Michael. We've raised him to be smart enough to choose the right one for himself."

"Not him, though! Why... that one?" Michael groaned. "Did you see how uncultured he was? How can Castiel even look twice at a brute like him?"

"Michael, do you trust Castiel?"

"Ugh."

"Do you?"

"Yes," Michael groaned. "I just don't want to have to see that face in our house, every morning, noon, night..."

"They just met, love, you don't know that it will go anywhere," Lucifer soothed.

Michael turned scornful eyes on him. "And in how many centuries has he given a talisman for protection to someone? When has he ever volunteered his own name, even? Oooh, Luce, this is definitely not a one time thing..."

Lucifer shushed Michael softly and drew him in close, eventually silencing his worries with his lips. 

"Mmmgghh," Michael's muffled voice came as he responded to the kiss. He eventually broke away, with a soft smile on his face. "You goof," he scolded sweetly, stroking Lucifer's face.

Lucifer smiled and nosed Michael's neck. "Come upstairs, and I'll give you a back rub," he whispered.

"How will that help anything?"

"I'll turn the lights down, take off your shirt, and then take off mine. I'll lie you down on the bed, get up behind you, and massage the oil into your back, and I'll kiss your neck-"

"Let's go," Michael said urgently, grabbing his husband, and turning the ship's sign to "CLOSED".  
*~*~*

A nice back rub session later, Michael and Lucifer found themselves lounging nude in bed, Lucifer's arm was draped lazily across his lover, stroking little circles on his stomach, and enjoying how the sensitive flesh jumped at each stroke. Their little moment of bliss was broken by a few tentative knocks to the door. Disgruntled, Lucifer let it swing open fully, exposing their visitor to the sight of their sculpted, naked, bodies.

"Eeeekk!"

"Good evening, Kevin. Was it we anything urgent?"

"Augh, no! I just wanted to tell you that Castiel and Raphael made dinner!" The young Asian-looking boy squeaked while desperately avoiding looking at his master. He made to turn away but was called back by Lucifer's torturously sated voice.

"And pray tell, what has he prepared? And face me when you speak, Kevin, to not do so would be terrible manners," Lucifer chided lightly. 

Kevin turned back reluctantly, and looked easy to burst into tears. "Spaghetti carbonara and a garden salad, with banana ice cream for the baby," he squeaked.

"Thank you, Kevin, we will be down presently," Michael said, rising from bed. Kevin desperately averted his eyes and ran off, not wanting to be caught looking at his Master's admittedly beautiful husband in the nude.

Michael clicked his tongue in dismay. "What a skittish boy he is. Though you do torture him needlessly, Lucifer."

Lucifer chuckled shamelessly. "He knew what he was signing up for when he asked me for an apprenticeship. He's stuck with us now."

Michael smiled. "That's not such a bad future. Let's get Samandriel cleaned up for dinner, shall we? He can wear that handsome onesie that I bought from Mrs. Mosley the other day."

Lucifer smiled at the mention of their infant son. "He's going to look just like you when he gets older," he mused. "Handsome little thing, he'll be." 

"Yes, a handsome little boy with my nose, your eyes, and a penchant for pyromania, if you have your way," Michael slapped his bum.

"I maintain that fire magic is a misrepresented and integral part of magic! Just because some fools messed around with it does not mean that the whole field should get a bad name!"

Michael laughed as he shrugged on his clothes. "Come, let's go down. We need to talk to Castiel about this latest situation. And if I'm right about these missing children, we will need to prepare restorative draughts by the bucket for once they're found."

"They're definitely alive, their life force is still resonating through the town. Just where are they, though?"

"I don't know," Michael sighed. "Why anyone would harm a child is beyond me," he said sadly. "We will have to punish this miscreant harshly to set a painful precedent for the lowlifes in this area."

Lucifer took his husband's hand in his and led him out of the room. "That we shall, my dear. The detector spell is almost ready, at any rate. We might want to teach it to those hunters, it would help them on their way."

Michael nodded and walked with Lucifer down the stairs, eager to join his family and appraise them of the day's events. They entered Samandriel's nursery, wher Castiel's black cat, Inias, was watching placidly over their son, who was in turn staring back at the small cat with intense focus. Upon hearing his fathers enter, he swivelled around on his diaper clad bottom and reached for them, saying "Da! Daaa!"

Michael happily picked his boy up and bopped his nose, and deftly checked his nappy. All was well down south. The little family and the cat traipsed into the kitchen, where the rest of the family was gathered and setting out the plates. Castiel smiled and held his arms out for the baby, and Michael passed him over, but not before sneaking a quick pat of Castiel's hair. His boys all grew up so fast.

Kevin and Raphael's apprentice, Adam, were setting the table while Raphael glared hard at the lettuce, which was a tad wilted. As Raphael settled down next to Adam, Michael asked, "Raphael, how is Mrs. Pembrooke? Did she have any further complaints about her arthritis?"

Raphael nudged Adam who rolled his eyes good naturedly and replied, "No, no trouble. We gave her some draught that was a bit more concentrated, it seems to have worked." 

Michael nodded, pleased. At least things were going well at the healing centre. Poor Mrs. Embroidered had hardly been able to pick the sage at her farm with all the pain in her fingers. Hopefully now, all would be well. Lucifer cleared his throat pointedly and spoke, "We all know about the situation with the town children. Two hunters have volunteered to clear up the trouble, but I suspect that they will need some assistance, sicnce this problem is most probably demonic in nature. Is someone apart from Castiel willing to act as a liaison?"

"Why not Castiel?" Adam asked for Raphael.

"Because both he and the hunter seemed to get along a little too well, if you know what I mean," Lucifer said, slyly looking at Castiel, who blushed, but still looked up.

"I'm quite capable of telling a person's intentions, Michael, you're the one who taught me how to skate upon the outermost thoughts. Dean's mind revealed only dedication, concern, and another emotion that I could not quite place," Castiel said with a straight face.

Kevin and Adam ducked their heads in an effort to hide their laughter. Raphael rolled his eyes and stabbed at his spaghetti in exasperation. Castiel's naïveté was truly astounding, but perhaps they were partly to blame as well, having sheltered him from romantic entanglements as much as they did.

"I am more than capable of acting as a neutral liaison, Michael. I am also capable of keeping myself safe, and if need be, my own feelings in check. Do you trust me?" Castiel said calmly.

Michael returned the stare as coolly as he could, but was internally doing the equivalent of wringing his hands and flailing. He did trust Castiel and over the centuries, he had proven himself as a mature, level-headed sorcerer time and again. 

"I do trust you, truly, I do. It doesn't make it any less difficult to see your children - and make no mistake, we raised you, Castiel - go into potentially dangerous situations. I know you can handle any spell thrown at you, any blow a creature might deal you, but I worry about your heart," Michael said sadly. He smiled slightly and continued, "You don't have children, Castiel, you don't know what we go through everyday with you. With Adam, and even you, Kevin, no matter how much Lucifer may torment you. You won't, until you have your own."

This was met by reverent silence from all those gathered. Adam smiled and nudged Raphael quietly, who fidgeted, uncomfortable with such open displays of affection. Kevin on the other hand was watching slack jawed, unwilling to believe that Lucifer had a sincere bone in his body, even though living proof of it sat next to him. Castiel merely smiled and rose to clear away the dishes, packing Michael on the cheek as he passed. "I'll meet with the hunters tomorrow, Michael, and if you feel it to be necessary, you can pull me out any time," he said softly. 

Michael fidgeted in his seat, but contented himself over Castiel's compromise. Such a good boy, he was. A good boy who could be corrupted by that Neanderthal hunter Dean Winchester. Just as Michael was starting to work himself up into another tizzy, Samandriel diffused the situation by flailing around to be burped, and Michael looked at his child fondly as he picked him up. A powerful belch later, everyone settled in the living room to revise their latest spells, and Michael snuggled into Lucifer, holding their baby. His boys may be all grown up, but at least he had one more to go. He could be happy with that.

"We can make another one," Lucifer whispered in his ear, "and a whole bucket more, so we'd always have someone to baby," he continued, nuzzling his neck. 

Raphael glared at his brothers and threw a wad of paper at them. "Get your own lover," Lucifer teased, and went back to nuzzling his husband in earnest. Michael sighed happily and leaned back. Whatever troubles are to be had could jolly well wait a while. Tonight, all was well in the Angelus household.


	3. Wherein Sam Labors for Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam starts to see the merits of settling in Salem, and the benefits of having Castiel in his brother's life. Now all he needs is for those two chuckleheads to act on their feelings, and Sam would be the happiest moose for miles.

Dean and Sam woke to a knock at the door of their motel room. Blearily rubbing the sleep away from his eyes, Dean glanced at the clock - 6:00am. Who in blazes was awake at this hour, much less disturbing other people. He stumbled towards the door, knife in hand, and kicked Sam unceremoniously on the way.

"We got company, Sammy, go do your hair."

"Mmugh," Sam replied. 

Dean opened the door a crack and got a lovely eyeful of Castiel Angelus, skin awash with early morning sunlight. This vision was made complete with his brandishing three steaming beverages, and gracing Dean with a smile.

"Good Morning, Dean," Castiel smiled. "May I come inside? There are some matters related to your case we must discuss."

"Ablug," Dean said, nonetheless holding the door open. Castiel waltzed in and placed the three cups on the table, and smiled at Sam, who was hastily drawing the covers up to his chin. 

"Good Morning, Samuel."

"Hi, Cas, just Sam is fine. If you don't mind me asking, how did you find out where we were?"

"Locator spell," Castiel said, "I suppose I picked up some hint of Dean when I touched his hand yesterday. Speaking of which, I am sorry that I did not think to heal your rash, did it heal by itself?"

"Oh yeah, within an hour of leaving the store," Sam replied. "You said there was some information about the case?"

"Ah, yes," Castiel said seriously. "First, however, I brought some tea for all of us. Perhaps we will be able to discuss the case with a clear mind once we have been refreshed," he said. 

Dean skipped over to the table and first handed Cas a cup, before taking one himself. "Sam, get your butt over now, Cas is being gracious here!" He said angrily.

"Dean," Sam whined from the bed.

"What?"

Sam hesitated a beat before blushing and whispering, "I'm not decent under here!"

Castiel bit his lip and ducked his head. Ah, the joys of having brothers. Although Castiel could only wish that Lucifer had even a fraction of the modesty that Sam showed now - it was not rare to see Lucifer in some state of undress at some point in the day. Castiel had grown used to it a few centuries ago. He rose and brought a cup over to Sam, who blushed harder at the sight of the attractive young man approaching him while he was nude under the covers. 

"C-Cas, I, um," Sam stuttered, now blushing to the roots of his hair. Castiel wordlessly held out the cup, and waited until Sam sneaked a hand out to hold it. He resisted petting Sam's admittedly lovely locks, and made his way back to Dean, who was watching the interaction with amusement. Anyone who was affectionate towards Sam and his moose like ways was alright by him. 

Dean pulled out a chair for Cas, who primly sat down, and waited for Dean to do the same. "You said you had something related to the case?" Dean said seriously. 

Castiel nodded. "My family and I have long been residents and peacekeepers here. To this end, we can pick up on individual life forces of everyone here, and while it is true that some children have gone missing, their life forces still resonate with us. We have also devised individual detector spells, which can be used to point us to the general area which the child inhabits. As you are working on the case, I thought it would be best if we were to collaborate with our efforts."

Dean nodded in full agreement. "I agree with you, man. The sooner we get those kinds back, the better. You said that they were still alive. That means that they're either lost, or held hostage by someone or something," Dean mused. "You think that whatever did this is demonic?"

Castiel sighed sadly. "It could very well be so. It could also be a malicious witch or a pagan God, however, who has made the children invisible to our eye, or transformed them somehow. If so, they will most certainly have tethered a demon to themselves. I can only hope that the children-"

Dean picked up on the younger man's distress and instinctively covered his hand with his own. "We'll gat them back, Cas, I swear. They're going to be safe, and Sam and I are going to gank the bitch who did this," he swore. Castiel turned tortured, wet eyes to him, and Dean's heart broke just a little bit. If only all witches were like this. Like sweet, wonderful, Cas who cared about kids and made amazing tea... 

Sam coughed pointedly, snapping both men out of their reveries. They blushed, but as Cas made to retract his hand, Dean gave it a soft squeeze of reassurement. Castiel gave him a small, grateful smile that sent the butterflies in his stomach a flutter once more. He coughed and addressed Cas again, "Hey, um, I was just thinking, is your family alright with you being here? I mean, they didn't seem too thrilled with us yesterday..."

Castiel shook his head. "Michael is overprotective, Dean. He recognizes the necessary role you play, and is willing to extend our family's aid to you. I am acting as a liaison between the witches and yourself."

Dean grinned happily, realizing that this was not the last time he would see Cas. Next time, he would be wearing something better than pajama bottoms, that was for sure. "So, um, what's this place like?" Dean asked.

As Castiel beamed and started taking about their benign supernatural community and the civilians, Sam observed the pair over his cup of tea. Dean was hanging on to Cas' every word, and Castiel could not seem to take his eyes off of Dean, either. During the conversation, they had both drifted closer to each other, and were now just an inch apart, still talking animatedly. Cas seemed Iike a smart, collected, guy, a perfect counterbalance for Dean, who was brash, and let his brain and mouth run away with him. And the way Castiel seemed to see Dean's inner psyche was amazing, Sam mused. He looked at Dean as though he was the most amazing thing in the room, and Dean most certainly thought the same way. A plan began to brew in Sam's big brain, and if he could just pull it off, Dean might finally get his happy ending that he deserved, and Sam would be able to escape the fountains of soup Dean foisted on him.

Castiel rose to leave, and smiled at Dean. "Thank you for your assistance, Dean. It is not every man who would stop to help someone else, at their own peril. You are truly a kind, gentle, and unique soul, and I am glad to have met you," he said softly.

Dean shrugged nonchalantly and said bitterly, "I'm not special, Cas. I'm just looking out for Sammy and doing my best with the job. Anyone could do it. I'm not even that good a person, you don't know what Ife had to do. What you do is really amazing though. You keep a whole populace safe with your magic, even though they might not know it. That's special, man." From his bed, Sam nearly burst into flames at Dean's casual self-loathing which most certainly stemmed from their father's verbal abuse and Dean's later actions towards him to keep Sam safe.

Castiel looked saddened and confused. "Do not say that, Dean," he said angrily, "yours is one of the most remarkable souls I have ever met, so pure and righteous. You have given your life to defending others, it's only right that we acknowledge you. You deserve some happiness, Dean, don't think that you do not." Castiel sighed and continued, "I only hope that you can see that you can see for yourself one day what a good man you are. Come by the shop later today, and I will help you with the detector spells. I shall see you later," he said, and turned to the door.

Dean suddenly sprang up from his seat and said, "Wait, I'll walk you out to your car," and reached out for Cas' arm, like a gentleman. 

Castiel smiled at the sudden display of curteousness and allowed his arm to be taken. "Thank you Dean, but I took my bike," he said, pointing to the powder blue bike with bee stickers on the handlebars. Dean remained firm, however, and he and Cas walked out, leaving Sam to contemplate what had just happened. Castiel had seen right through Dean and had called him out on his self loathing bullshit. Sam danced a happy jig that someone but he could see how wonderful Dean was. Dean had obviously taken Cas' words about finding and deserving happiness to heart, and had taken the bull by the horns and was subtly wooing Cas. Sam didn't want this to be a one time thing for his brother, and resolved to find a way to bring the two men together. If Dean could settle here, he could make a good life for himself. And if there were centuries old witches with multiple tomes of lore here as well, then who was Sam to say no to a bit of research and compilation?

Sam watched Dean help Cas onto his bike, and the two held each other's tender gazes, unaware that a few feet away, Sam Winchester, hunter extraordinaire, amazing brother, and part time moose, was plotting their love story and life together. As Cas rode away, Sam set to work. There was much to be done if Dean was going to woo someone. And Sam Winchester was just the man for the job.


	4. The Language of Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flower meanings in the end notes.

Later that day, Dean took a detour and stopped by the flower market, and picked up a bouquet of calla lilies, amaryllises, and daisies. With a firm look at Sam, who innocently stared out of the window, they finally pulled up at Angelus'. They were met by a young, chipper blonde named Adam, and his master Raphael, who glared at them. When Dean introduced himself, Raphael seemed to intensify his glare, willing Dean to turn into a mole. They were saved by the entrance of Castiel, Lucifer, and Kevin, who looked fidgety and apprehensive. 

"Afternoon Cas," Dean said boldly, and held out the bouquet. Castiel accepted graciously, and their fingers grazed together, resulting in a small smile from each of them. As soon as Castiel left to put the flowers in some water, Lucifer turned to Dean.

"Nice touch with the flowers," he drawled, "don't think that I don't see what you did there. Luckily, Castiel is quite familiar with floriography," he finished with a snicker.

Dean looked extremely pleased, and tried to crane his neck to see if Castiel had gotten his message, but was met by a stern faced Michael instead.

"Who," Michael ground out, "brought the bouquet?"

Dean gulped, but straightened up and said, "I did. They're for Cas."

Michael cocked his head in an eerily similar manner to Castiel and said, "Floriography?" Dean flushed a pale pink hue and nodded, upset that the whole family was in on the secret message he was trying to send to Cas. To his surprise, Michael simply nodded and proceeded to usher them all upstairs, where the talismans were to be imbued with locator spells.

Dean found Castiel sitting on a plush, purple, sofa cradling a baby, with a small black kitten perched on his shoulder. Castiel smiled at the group, and shifted to make some space. Dean quickly grabbed the seat next to Castiel and peered over at the baby, who stared back curiously. 

"Michael and Lucifer's son, Samandriel. He's going to be eighteen months in a week. Yes! Yes, you are!" Castiel wriggled the happy baby around and cooed at him. Dean watched, enraptured by the sight. Castiel looked so at ease with the baby, and the adoration was rolling off of him in waves. Dean could just imagine him with a baby of their own... Stop it, brain!

"Um... Michael and Lucifer's?" Sam asked confused, "aren't they your brothers?"

Castiel looked up, his eyes narrowing at Sam slightly. "Yes, they are. They are my brothers, and they married a few centuries ago to prevent us from being split up in the supernatural community. Unlike with many humans, we are much more reasonable when it comes to same sex relationships... what are you doing?," he asked sternly.

Sam was writing this new point in his handy little journal. "Nothing! I'm- I was writing that point down. I intend to make a compilation about the supernatural community in America, and how they differ from ones around the world. It's always been a dream of mine," he said earnestly.

"To find out about our sex lives?" Kevin asked fearfully, hiding partially behind Adam.

"No, no! To be a published author!" Sam said emphatically. His proclamation was met with silence, and then by incredulous laughter. 

"Oh good," Adam said, "we thought you were recording kinks or something. Although, if you want to actually go through with your project, you could talk to Raphael, he's been all over the world with me."

"Talk to Raphael?"

"Well, talk to me, I guess," Adam smiled. "I'll act as an intermediary for you. Master Raphael doesn't really talk to people in general. The only times he does are to issue orders in medical emergencies at the clinic," he shrugged.

"There was also that time with Balthazar," Lucifer added. Raphael, who was within earshot, promptly bent the metal spoon he was holding in rage. Lucifer grinned and continued, "Balthazar is a witch from England. When Adam and Raphael were there last, he took a fancy to Adam, and followed him all the way here in an attempt to court him. Raphael found Balthazar hiding in Adam's luggage, disguised as a chipmunk, and tried to hex him. Balthazar wouldn't give up and he eventually settled two blocks away from us. Isn't he still courting you, Adam?"

Adam smiled and nodded. He flicked up his sleeve and showed them a small bracelet inscribed with various runes. "He gave this to me day before yesterday when I took that peach cobbler I made over to him." Raphael looked as though he was contemplating murdering this poor Balthazar sap for trying to steal away his best apprentice. Dean didn't want to be anywhere near that guy when Raphael got to him. He looked over at Castiel who was shaking with barely concealed laughter.

"Balthazar is a lovely person," he said. "I approve of him for Adam, I think anyone who shows that level of perseverance, survive Raphael, and is still respectful enough to follow through a full courting is deserving of his hand." Dean silently took note of the mention of courting Cas seemed to set so much store by. He'd have to ask around as to what a witch considered a proper courting. Adam and this Balthazar seemed to be good choices. Michael came back with several talismans and cleared his throat for their attention. 

"Each one of us will enchant one talisman specific to one missing child. There have been fine children missing, and so five of us will carry talismans with locator spells - one for each child. Speak the name of the child over the talisman and douse it in lamb's blood for precisely seven seconds, while it swirling counterclockwise in the solution, and then speak the incantation. If done right, the pendants should glow a light blue. Any other color means that you have done it incorrectly, and should back away. The spell can be volatile if performed wrong," he told Sam and Dean, who nodded along. 

Dean and Sam got the names Timothy Mendelssohn and Joey Ross respectively, and pulled off their spells flawlessly, much to the older witches surprise. Castiel smiled and tied the new talisman around Dean's wrist, and noticed that his own protection bracelet was tied to Dean's wrist. He lingered with the tying, and Dean blushed a pretty pink, while the rest of the group expressed either amusement, or in Raphael's case, discontent. Their little moment was disrupted by baby Samandriel, who cried out at the lack of cuddling. Castile snatched his hand away and promptly proceeded to coo over the baby, who shot Dean a content smirk, or so Dean thought. 

"We should now venture out, and see where the talismans light up. The stronger their glow, the closer we are to the missing child. I assume Samuel and Dean will go together, as will Lucifer and myself. Castiel, you an partner with Kevin. No one goes alone, and every time, we rotate people to see if their talimans activate in a different location. Now, branch out!" Michael barked. 

Sam cleared his throat and asked, "Shouldn't Dean or I partner with a witch? I mean, it's highly probable that we are dealing with a magical entity, and both of us, while enhanced, don't have that much experience in combatting magic. Usually, we just go on and gank them and hope for the best," Sam shrugged. The rest of them seemed to conspire this, and he distinctly saw Castiel and Dean shift closer to each other, going so far as to rub pinkies. Oh Sam, you genius, he congratulated himself on a job well done.

Lucifer narrowed his eyes at Sam, who was basking in his own genius at pairing the two lovebirds together. He wasn't going to make it that easy for them, though. "Fine," Lucifer, said silkily, "Sam, you can go with Castiel, and Dean can have Kevin. Despite his skittishness, he's surprisingly scrappy in a fight." Lucifer shot a sweet smile laced with venom at Sam, who groaned inwardly. Trust him to get stuck with the wrong brother.

*~*~*

As it turned out, the day was not a complete bust. Sam and Castiel got along immensely well, and Sam wasn't sure if he wasn't a little in love with Castiel as well at the end of the day. Castiel had been very mothering, insisting that Sam eat his honey and peanut butter sandwiches at regular intervals and forced peach tea down to hydrate himself. Castiel also proved to be a veritable treasure trove of knowledge, and was more than willing to patiently explain magical lore to Sam. Before they parted, the pair stopped at the flower market, where Castiel purchased a single ambrosia and gave it to Sam to pass on to Dean. 

The group had agreed to meet again the next day, and focus their attentions to the north, where both Dean's and Kevin's talismans had lit up. They parted ways and once Dean had skirted the elder Novaks to give Castiel a chaste peck on the cheek, he and Sam left for their motel room. Once inside, Sam passed on the single ambrosia to Dean, who looked overjoyed, and tucked it away in his own hunter journal.

Sam watched fondly andecided that once this case was over, he was going to find a book on floriography.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Flower meanings:
> 
> Calla Lily - magnificent beauty   
> Amaryllis - timidity  
> Daisy - gentle love, innocence
> 
> Ambrosia - your love is reciprocated


	5. Kevin vs Cat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaaahh! An update! I'm so sorry for not updating for so long, I was desperately busy with my thesis. I have not abandoned this fic, though, never fear!
> 
> Please leave kudos and comments, they are my fuel!

The hunters reconvened with the witches the next morning, with Dean bringing Samandriel a stuffed toy puppy. Having seen the way Cas doted on the little shrimp, Dean was sure that he could solidify a place in the man's heart through winning over the baby first. With this thought, Dean approached the somber baby and offered it the toy, while Lucifer rolled his eyes in exasperation as Castiel watched with starry eyes. 

"Here you go, shrimpo," Dean cooed, waggling the doll at Samandriel. "Got you a present." 

Samandriel was delighted with the doll, and in his excitement, caused it to burst into flames in Dean's hands. "OW!" Dean yelled as he dropped the flaming doll. So much for gratitude, he thought, as he nursed his burnt hands while Lucifer proudly petted his baby. 

"That's my boy," Lucifer whispered, only to receive a gentle smack to the head, courtesy of Michael. He glared at his husband who merely pointed. Lucifer looked up to see Castiel nursing Dean's singed hands with tender, loving, care, while Dean looked like the cat who got the cream. It seems his plan had worked after all, albeit with a painful twist. His happiness was short lived, however, when Raphael came up to him and started roughly treating Dean's wounds with foul smelling ointment. 

"What is that rank smell?" Michael whispered to Adam, who was giggling in the corner.

"Elderberries," Adam whispered back. When Michael raised an imperious eyebrow, he explained, "They're in the ointment. It's completely unnecessary for treating burns, but Raphael looks so happy!" Adam trilled. And sure enough, Raphael wore a manic grin as he massaged Dean's burns with his nails. Dean couldn't recall a less sensetive touch in his life, and he was a hunter!

Eventually, Castiel managed to pry Raphael away from Dean, and they all sat down, with Dean and Castiel getting very much into each other's personal spaces. Inias had settled on Lucifer's lap, and he looked every bit the evil villain, reclining in his chair and stroking the black cat. 

"So," Michael said, "whose talismans lit up yesterday?" Dean and Kevin raised their hands. "So we look further north today," Michael said, and was greeted with nods. Seeing as they were going the same way, there was no need to split up. The odd group went north towards the playground, with Dean and Castiel lingering behind, no doubt exchanging sweet nothings in each other's ears. Michael kept looking back to make sure his brother's virtue was still intact, and was greeted each time to the sight of Castiel pointing various cutesy things or historical landmarks out, while Dean, to his credit, followed along, occasionally giving Castiel a heated glance. 

As they passed the playground, Kevin let out a quavering wail as his talisman glowed. The group looked down, and noticed that their talismans too were glowing, but less so. They quickly wandered into the park, to follow their talismans strongest pull. Eventually, the group decided to go back to Kevin, who was now being harassed by a stray cat. 

"Shoo! Please shoo," Kevin groaned wretchedly as the cat leaped around his ankles. He was looking about frantically for any sign of the child, when Licofer rushed over and whacked him across the head. 

"Ow," Kevin grumbled, and came to a halt. He looked around at the gate he witches and hunters, the former of whom were watching the cat with a kind of bemused horror. Kevin gasped and immediately stopped kicking the cat, and scooped it up instead. Sam and Dean caught on, and Dean felt bile rise at the thought a child had been made to live as a cat. As the disgusted group plus the new cat traipsed home, they had but one thought in their minds. Who would be so cruel as to imprison a child in a foreign body? Whoever it was, they weren't going to get away with it.

*~*~*

The the Angelus' home, they let the cat down on the couch, only to have Inias spit at the newcomer as the new cat curled in on itself pathetically and mewled. Adam and Raphael set about making a restorative potion for the cat/child as Michael tore his ebony locks out in frustration. Who would dare to harm a child thus? Stilling his hands, he gathered the group together.

"We must find whoever did this, as well as the other children. It should be much easier now that we know to focus on the park. As to apprehending the criminal, we can see if the caster if the spell left behind any traces of energy. With a tracking spell, we could trace to energy signature back to whoever cast it."

"What can we do to help?" Dean asked.

Lucifer smiled and piped up from behind Michael. "You'll have a role in this as well, Dean, don't you worry. The spell needs the tears of a selkie, and the feathers of a Phoenix in molt. You'll need all your hunting skills on this one," he said easily. 

Dead and Sam gulped in anticipation. A selkie and a phoenix? Sure, they could do that. "Let's hit the books, Sammy," Dean said stiffly. "Gotta get us a selkie first."

Castiel jumped up and said, "Just two people are not enough. I must insist on accompanying you, Dean."

To his credit, Dean merely appraised Castiel and nodded. Castiel smiled, and was relieved that while Dean was a gentleman, he did not think Castiel as weak, or his magic undeveloped. "We leave at daybreak," Castiel said firmly, over Michael's hyperventilating. "The nearest lake known to have supernatural creatures is two towns over, and they are not open to strangers invading their territory."

"At dawn then," Dean said, reaching for Castiel's hand. Sam stood awkwardly in the middle while the Angelus family glared at him in reproach. He cast a glance to the determined and happy lovers and steeled himself. The things he did for love.


	6. Seklies and Snogging

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What's this? A chapter? Can it possibly be? 
> 
> Apparently it can be, because this author just overcame a bout of writer's block!

Initially, when Sam and Dean had gone to hunt them in the dead of night, hoping to persuade them to shed a few tears, the group had been very confrontational. There had been an all out battle in the murky waters of the lake between the shrieking selklies and the hunter duo, with the selklies being expertly dispatched back to the bottom of the lake, but leaving the hunters with no tears. 

Upon relating this to Castiel, both Sam and Dean had been subject to a look of wearied disappointment. "Your first instinct was to hunt them, when it was perfectly obvious that they are sentient creatures of rare intelligence? Why, Dean?"

Dean felt about two inches tall. He realized that by falling back on his hunting instincts, he had failed to realize that Castiel may well have questioned Dean's volatile nature with supernatural creatures, including witches. 

"Cas," he croaked, "I didn't realize. I'd be a hell of a hypocrite if I were to talk smack about all supernatural life. Hell, I'm augmented by witchcraft, and I fell in love with a witch. I just... I don't know. It was inexcusable, and I swear that next time, I'll fully consider other options before using violence."

Castiel tried to remain stern faced throughout Dean's speech, but felt his heart warm at the hunter's inadvertent confession of love. It must have shown on his face, because Dean's contrite expression shifted to confusion and then to embarrassment when he went over his words. "I mean it, Cas," he whispered, "all of it. I want us to work, man, and if that means changing things about myself, I'll do it."

"Oh Dean," Castiel sighed. He leaned over to grasp his hunter's hand and continued, "I don't want you to change. I fell in love with the man you are. All I want is that you consider events in their fullness, and then act. You could have very easily harmed yourself out there tonight. I don't want to have to see you in pain."

With matching shy smiles, Dean and Castiel both neared each other and gently nuzzled each other's faces, while Sam watched in a mixture of confusion and anger at bring made to witness his brother's clearly intimate moments. He cleared his throat and said, "Well, what should we do, then?" His question was ignored in favor of an intense necking session which forced Sam to leave the room in a hurry. He proceeded to the lobby desk to hang out with the receptionist, thinking all the while that Dean had been blessed to have a brother who took such pains to ensure that his love life blossomed.

\-------------

The next evening at sunset, Castiel accompanied the brothers to the lake armed with a bunch of succulent grapes. He waded into the clear water till he was knee deep, and then proceeded to throw individual grapes into the water, crooning softly in a strange tongue. Sam and Dean watched in awe, as the grapes were quickly scooped up by small hands breaking the surface to the water. Every time a selkie caught a grape, Dean itched to tug Castiel into the safety of his arms, but resisted, remembering his promise from the previous night.

As it turned out, he needn't have worried. Castiel was an absolute hit with the selkies. When a bunch of them finally bobbed their heads out of the water, they gave wide, fanged, smiles, which were supposed to be endearing, but gave Dean the willies. While continuing to hand them grapes, Castiel managed to explain their mission. After a moment, one of the selkies disappeared, reappearing with a squalling infant in its arms. Castiel quickly held out a vial in which to catch the tears, and once finished, handed over the bunch of grapes to the delighted group and bid them farewell as they disappeared into the depths of the lake once more.

"And that," Castiel said with a touch of smugness, "is that."


	7. Dial S for Soup

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein Sam's liquid nemesis saves the day.

They managed to locate the Phoenix in the next town westwards, or as Dean called it, "The Wild, Wild West". Sam groaned as Dean gushed about how hot Castiel would look in a hat, resulting in a gleam in Castiel's eye that usually preceded sex. Sam groaned inwardly, but was also pleased that Cas and Dean were comfortable enough in their relationship to discuss such intimate likes. When he said as much, Dean gagged and Castiel smiled at Sam's words. 

"You're getting your own room tonight, ya perv," Dean grumbled. 

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Sam replied scathingly.

As it turned out, the only room left was a double, which placed Sam in a very tight spot. He watched as Dean and Cas curled together under the covers, giggling at their closeness ke children. Sam couldn't help but aww softly as the couple faced each other and bump noses, then lips. At that point, it became too much for Sam, who turned in, hoping that all three of them would just sleep through the night.

*~*~*

Of course, when did fate favor Sam Winchester? 

Sam's dreams of herbs and hard cover books were interrupted by the sound of sheets rustling and ecstatic gasping. 

"Oh, Dean! Oh! There, faster!"

The sheets rustled louder as Dean hastened to to as Castel bid, drawing breathy, soft moans from the both of them. 

"Cas, baby, you-"

"DE- Ah!"

There as sudden silence and both figures on the other side of the room slumped. Then, Castiel shimmied downwards, disappearing beneath the blankets. Sam wept in silent horror as he anticipated what was coming.

"Cas! Ah, your mouth!"

This exclamation was followed by sounds of rustling and vigorous humming and sucking - oh, not the sucking! Sam crawled into fetal position at the hard core loving across the room and willed himself to disappear into the mattress. 

Dean's groans and the up and down motion of the blankets ceased abruptly, as Dean let out a keening sound as he bit his lip. A few sighs and languid kisses later, Sam tuned in once more to the soft voices.

"Do you think we woke Sam?"

"Nah, that moose can sleep through anything."

"Still, I feel guilty. Perhaps I should make him his favorite feta cheese pasta for lunch tomorrow," Castiel mused.

Sam grinned under the blankets. His suffering had been vindicated by the powers above.

"You know what goes great with that? Soup!" Dean whispered excitedly, as Castiel hummed in agreement.

Sam groaned softly. He knew that it was too good to be true. Dean's soup was going to make a comeback, and if Cas liked it, it would be a staple in his diet for the rest of his days. Wallowing in the thoughts of future feta cheese, Sam fell asleep, equally dreading and eagerly anticipating the coming day.

\----------- 

Of course, Cas loved Dean's cooking. 

Sam watched with Castiel gulp down Dean's soup with a resigned, sullen, expression, and made his peace with the fact that this was his life from here-on-in. Upon leaving to confront the phoenix, Castiel insisted on packing a thermos of tomato soup along with their cheese sandwiches for after the meeting.

They discovered the Phoenix masquerading as the small town's sheriff by the name of Elias Finch, and he was none too pleased in being found out. When Castiel angrily pointed out that he had been letting other wayward supernatural creatures murder and pillage their way through the town, the sheriff reached for Castiel physically in a bout of rage, marking the point where his countdown began.

No sooner than when he laid hands on Castiel's neck, he jerked backwards as Castiel summoned a blast of icy wind to throw him back. Dean roared in absolute rage and threw himself between the Phoenix and Castiel, lunging forward with his iron blade. Realizing that he could not match Dean's rage driven blows, Finch diverted his attention to Sam, and flew towards him, talons bared. Before anyone could react, Sam fell back on his hunter's training, and threw the nearest object at the massive bird. As the object went sailing through that air, Sam realized that he had, in fact, thrown the thermos of soup at the offending bird.

At that point, things seemed to occur in slow motion. The cap fell off of the bottle, splashing hot, thick, liquid into Finch's eye. As the gruesome bird-man hybrid writhed in pain, Dean made quick work of throwing his knife at the creature, stabbing it between the shoulder blades. As the Phoenix burst into flames, Castiel coolly reached into the inferno to pluck out a large feather or three, and returned to a frantic Dean, who scooped up his hand and pressed quick, worried kisses into the skin.

"You could have burnt yourself, Cas! Don't do that again!"

"Dean, I am perfectly able to manipulate fire. I was not harmed at all."

"Still," Dean pouted, "I reserve the right to worry about you. You're my special guy, Cas," he crooned. 

"As you are mine, sweet De," Castiel sang back, nestling his face into the crook of Dean's neck.

Sam watched the two lovers embrace, lit with a golden light from the flames of the still thrashing Phoenix. The whole thing was rather macabre, and Sam felt rather out of place. He cleared his throat in a bid to leave. Dean emerged irritably from a deep kiss with Castiel with a sound like a suction. Sam grimaced in distaste, but Castiel took no notice, too deep in his state of bliss.

"What, Sammy? Can't you see that Cas and I were having a moment?"

"Dean! I almost died!" Sam cried vehemently.

Dean rolled his eyes. "No you didn't. That bird was not even close to you, and I know I trained you well enough to aim a freaking bottle." Dean paused to admire Sam's new bitchface and went on, "Now you can't whine about my soup," he said smugly, "Now that it's proven that a bowl a day keeps the monster at bay."

Sam could have screamed. Not only was he being made to watch Dean's erotic displays, but he was now going indebted to Dean's soup making skills for the rest of his days. Sensing his anger, Castiel swooped in like the sweet angel that he was.

"Oh, Sam, that was thoughtless of us," he said with soulful eyes. "We should not have done that within your sight. Let me make it up to you," he said with sincerity, "I will cook you whatever you want for dinner today, and you won't have to drink Dean's soup for a week. Is that ok?"

Sam found himself melting at Castiel's sincere care. How could anyone not love the guy? As far as sucking face, Sam was convinced that Dean had hit the jackpot of face sucking partners, and if things went his way, husband. Sam nodded with a sappy smile as Castiel placed a warm kiss on his chocolate locks and made for the car. Sam followed him with his eyes happily, overjoyed that Cas was chock-full of gooey, brother-in-law goodness. He was roused from his happy place by Dean's smug snickering.

"What?"

"Dude," Dean said, "He totally kissed you right after making out with me."

Sam groaned in horror and exasperation as he vowed to wash his hair of Dean-cooties the moment they reached the motel. Brother-in-law love was all good and fine, but there was such a thing as just too much Dean.

Sam stomped out after Dean, who was humming a charming tune, with the intention of using up the hot water later that night. Revenge was, after all, a dish best served cold.


	8. There's No Place Like Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our favorite villain finally makes an appearance!

They made it back to Salem with all their ingredients, much to the family's pleasure. There was, however, one person to mar their successful entry. As soon as Dean stepped over the threshold with Castiel, Michael retreated to the kitchen to sob into his hands. Lucifer helpfully informed them that Michael always reacted that way when any of their siblings entered into a relationship. 

"He'll come out of it soon," Lucifer placated Dean, "He's always like that. Something about his little birds growing up."

Dean raised his eyebrows incredulously. "Aren't you guys hundreds of years old?" 

Lucifer chuckled. "Yup. He's been doing that at least once per century. We've gotten used to it. You will too, given time," he said kindly. "He still has to do it for Adam, and now Sam, I suppose."

Dean realized with a spark of warmth that Lucifer took Dean to be part of the family, and had pegged him to stay on with them. It was nice, he thought, the idea of a large family. Dean looked at Sam in an attempt to see of what he made of the new relationship between all of them. Sam's eyes were glistening with hope, happiness, and something else that Dean had long learned to equate with the thirst for knowledge. 

"Why don't I get a relationship?" Kevin grumbled underneath his breath.

"Because you will be too busy doing my bidding," Lucifer snapped. "Now, off to work, little slave," he said imperiously.

"I'm your apprentice!" Keying said indignantly.

"Same difference," Lucifer drawled as he dismissed his beleaguered student. Michael returned, wiping his eyes, and set about preparing the tracking spell. Once the spell had been prepared, Raphael lay out a map of Salem and brushed the solution contains selkie tears, Phoenix feathers, green tea, the fur of the transformed child, and manticore venom across the map, and then burnt it. As the map crumbled away, it left one spot intact.

"Number 18, Escargot Avenue," Lucifer said. "That's where we'll find our rogue witch. Everyone, get armed. We're bringing this one in. Oh, and grab a box. If the cat/children are nearby, we will need something to transport them with. We will leave as soon as we drop Samandriel off with Mrs. Mosely," he said, turning on his heel.

Dean went over to Sam and fussed over him, urging him to layer up and weave more protective spells into his clothes, while Castiel cleaned up the remnants of the spell with a small smile playing on his lips at Sam's whiny protestations. Soon, they would be able to wrap up this case, and he would be free to devote his full energies to his new relationship. Castiel glanced up and caught Dean's eye, but Michael cleared his throat pointedly, causing both of them to blush and look away. There would be plenty of time for hanky-panky later on, and by golly, Castiel would see to it that it happened.

\-----------

The motley crew (heh) of hunters and witches all convened on the doorstep of Number 18 on Escargot Avenue, armed with protection spells and hexes, ready for a battle. Hidden in his pocket, Castiel carried freshly brewed veritaserum to force to location of the missing children out of the culprit if the need arose. With the eldest Angelus brothers flanking him, and Castiel armed with a hex for acute indigestion behind him (Dean refused to have Castiel put in the front where he could be attacked), Dean knocked on the door and held his breath. 

To everyone's surprise, the door cracked open to reveal a squat, ruddy faced man in a dark suit. He took in the assembled group with bewildered eyes, "I didn't know it took this many people to deliver a pizza," he said, his tone laced with amusement. "I assume that you gentlemen have come on other business?" The man had a drawling British accent that set Dean's teeth on edge. 

Michael glared at the smarmy man, willing him to combust on the spot. "Do not play coy with us, you foul, you bubonic, you filthy-"

Lucifer butted in hastily, "Where are the children, you swine?" Michael intensified his glare, letting his silent anger do his talking for him. 

The short man looked scandalized. "What? How dare-" Seeing the unimpressed faces all around him, he dropped all pretense and sighed. "You're the do-gooder witches aren't you? Bet you want to rescue those meddling brats. I'll have you know that what I did was a means of last resort. You have no idea what those little blighters did!"

"Spare us," Dean bit out. "If you don't get those kids out here now, we'll hex you to walk around with bunny ears for eternity!" The man raised his eyebrows disdainfully. Dean pulled out his revolver and cocked it, adding, "And then I'll declare it wabbit season, so hop to it!" That made the man recoil in shock, prompting him to back away rapidly.

"Alright already, keep your knickers on! I'll get them!" He walked into the house flanked by the witches while Dean and Sam followed, alert for any sign on fishy behavior. The hassled man led them to the basement which was filled with roly-poly kittens of different colors and breeds, mewing pathetically for attention. Sam bit back a squeal and surreptitiously tried to reclaim his manhood, fervently hoping that Dean had not noticed his moment of childlike glee. "Well, these are the lot of them," the man said glumly, crossing his arms and pouting hard as Kevin levitated the kittens into a cardboard box. "I suppose you'll want to transform them back, though I maintain that they're much less of a hassle like this."

Castiel sighed and counted the kittens. "The number matches that of the missing children, including the one we have at home." He turned to the shorter witch with a look of disappointment etched into his fine features. "You should be ashamed of yourself. What could these children have possibly done for you to hold them captive like this?"

The man flinched. "First of all, I have a name. It's Crowley. Secondly, I was just about to tell you that when the behemoth with the gun got all up in my face!" Crowley sighed and continued, "I was going to let them go after a week or so anyway, it was just to teach them a lesson. Those hell spawn were terrorizing my Growley! I thought I would show them what it was like to be on the other side!"

"Who," Castiel asked, "is Growley?"

Crowley held up a hand. "Don't panic, now," he said, and gave a shrill whistle. Immediately, a tiny, black, lop eared bulldog pup waddled in, wagging its stub of a tail. "Growley," he induced simply. The next moment, Crowley's face lit up with a mischievous light, and he pointed at small, vulnerable Kevin, "Sic 'im, boy!" The puppy waddled over and began to nibble at Kevin's shoelace, while the boy in question gave a querulous wail and threw up industrial strength protection charms. The puppy, oblivious to Kevin' s hostility, proceeded to urinate on his shoe, marking him as forever hers. He then moved on to Lucifer, who leveled it with a stern look. After a few seconds, he immediately rolled onto her back, he tongue lolling out happily. 

"Isn't he a delight?" Crowley said fondly. "Those rambunctious children were terrorizing her, putting bells and bows on him! I had to do something! This was the better option. My first thought was to let Juliet loose on them," he huffed.

"And Juliet is..."

Crowley whistled once more, and a bulldog much larger than any of the species had any business being, stumbled in, jowls quivering menacingly. Crowley smirked and patted the mishapen head, saying, "Juliet. This girl is my pride and joy. She's half hellhound, half mutt. Some dog or the other knocked her up, and next thing I knew, I had Growley on my hands. Cute, but a complete disappointment as a guard dog."

Juliet trotted up to Castiel and bared her teeth at him, prompting Dean to leap forward, even as Crowley winced at the bloodbath sure to follow. Castiel on the other hand merely smiled and said, "Hello, Juliet." The fierce dog suddenly quieted and sniffed at Castiel, and promptly rolled over onto her back, much like Growley had done. 

"Well, bugger me with a fork," Crowley said, gobsmacked, as he watched his bloodthirsty guard dog yip and twirl around Castiel's legs. So much for being a loyal protector. Juliet then went over to pick up her obnoxiously happy pup where he lay at Lucifer's feet. She paused in front of Lucifer and licked his hand, possibly recognizing and deferring to a superior master of mayhem. 

"We'll do just that if you don't reverse the spell you put on the kids right now," Dean snarled as Lucifer produced a large fork out of thin air and waved it with an air of careless abandon.

Crowley paled. "I have the ingredients ready for a restoration draught. Like I said, I was going to do it anyway," he babbled fearfully. He made to set up his cauldron, when Raphael's hand clamped down upon his shoulder in a vice like grip. Crowley flinched and looked up into the man's stony face, frozen in terror at a potential smiting. "What the hell does he want?" Crowley asked, voice shaking.

Adam stepped forward, attempting to emulate Raphael's menacing glower. "Raphael says that he doesn't trust you to brew it correctly, and that he will do it himself." Adam paused thoughtfully, and continued, "you would probably portion the ingredients all wrong. Given you stubby, little fingers." Raphael looked pleased at Adam's improvised insult at the end, and released Crowley who summoned the ingredients onto the table and backed away stealthily, only to be pounced upon by Dean and Sam, who held him in place.

"Oh, no you don't," Dean said, shaking Crowley. "You're coming with us. You've done the crime, now you gotta do the time."

"Bloody hell," Crowley mumbled. "Can't blame a girl for trying, now, can you?"

Satisfied that the villain had been sufficiently restrained, Michael gave Raphael a nod to begin. After all, potions didn't brew themselves. "Hurry, Raphie," he urged. Raphael flinched at his childhood moniker, and steadfastly ignored his elder brother, gesturing instead at Adam.

"Raphael says that he does not appreciate the use of his old nickname and to please refrain of calling him that in public. He also says that it would greatly aid him if you stopped Crowley from making all that noise," Adam translated. 

Michael frowned and clicked his fingers, causing a string piece of duct tape to appear over Crowley's mouth, where he had been trying to flirt with an irritated Kevin, who looked close to jinxing him. 

"Mmmmph!" Crowley went through his impromptu gag. 

Lucifer smacked Michael's bum proudly. "Good job, baby."

Michael turned back to his potioneers, glowing at the praise. "Now, let's get cracking," he said enthusiastically. One way or another, this fiasco would be resolved soon enough. Then, he could fully devote his efforts into convincing Dean to make an honest witch out of Castiel. If things went according to plan, there would be a lot to prepare for. It was always best to stay on top of these things, Michael thought to himself happily. Luckily, his family were just the ones for the job.

\------------


	9. The End?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is the last chapter, there's only a small epilogue to go! Thank you for sticking with the story, and I hope you enjoyed it!
> 
> Please feel free to comment below!

One restorative draught, six apologetic children, and one chastised Crowley later, the Angelus and Winchester families trooped back to the shop.

"Was it wise to let Crowley off with such a mild punishment?" Sam asked the group. 

Castiel nodded. "It would not do to antagonize the man completely. He has demonic contacts, which could potentially make life very difficult for Salem's inhabitants if roused to do so. The heavy fine and the temporary binding of his spellwork is enough to make him pause to think before he gets up to anymore mischief," Castiel said solemnly.

Michael tutted and ushered everyone into the house, eager to move on to happier matters. Once everyone was seated, and Samandriel retrieved from Mrs. Moseley, they got down to business. 

"Now, as I see it, we have two immediate events to plan," Michael said. He raised one finger and counted, "One, Adam's bonding to Balthazar has been a long time coming," he said. Adam smiled serenely and shrugged.

"I dunno," he said. "Balthazar and I may just elope. He said that he would whisk me away to a scenic wedding destination somewhere in Europe and just stay there for our honeymoon. We'd come back after two weeks, though," he assured Michael. Michael mused on this and nodded in agreement.

"Well, if it's what you two want. Balthazar has been more than patient in waiting for you all these years, and going back to his roots would only hold more meaning to him. We will, however, hold a reception once you return."

Everyone mumbled in agreement as Adam flushed happily, pleased that Balthazar would soon become a permanent part of his life. Raphael looked horrified, his eyes magnified to the size of saucers at the thought of his apprentice/best friend/translator leaving him. Adam pinched him lightly, causing him to startle. "I'll come back," Adam reassured him. "Balthazar even agreed to take the upstairs room, so I won't even leave the house after I'm married." Raphael calmed down slightly, and his eyes went back to their normal size. 

Satisfied that one issue had been dealt with, Michael raised a second finger and continued, "Second, we have to plan to move Dean and Samuel into the town. I hear Mrs. Mosely has a room to let."

Dean gaped at Michael's plans for him. "Was I ever going to be consulted about this?" he croaked out.

Michael raised his eyebrows. "Did I assume incorrectly? Will you not continue to court Castiel? Do you not plan to eventually wed him? Have children with him?" 

Dean flustered. "Well, yeah, but I kinda wanted to do it my way, you know? Which kind him away on a road trip-"

"Absolutely not, your car has no airbags."

Dean glared at Lucifer and continued, "-or take him out on dates, woo him, bring him around to my place for dinner, you know?"

"And you can't do this living with Mrs. Moseley?"

"No!" Dean flailed incredulously. "She's going to be around, I'll be living in the same room as Sam, and there's going to be no room for romance!"

Kevin twitched. "Why..." He trailed off as Lucifer turned his ice-blue eyes upon him. 

"Why don't they take Balthazar's house?" Kevin suggested meekly. "If Adam and Balthazar are going to Europe, and then come to live here, his house is going to be free," he reasoned. Lucifer simply stared at his apprentice for a minute and then raised his hand, causing Kevin to squeal and flinch away. Lucifer rolled his eyes and proceeded to thump Kevin on the back.

"I was going to congratulate you for your quick thinking, but now I think I should discipline you for your skittishness instead," Lucifer said. 

"No, please," Kevin whimpered. Lucifer rolled his eyes and patted his apprentices head, coaxing him out of his fetal position. Michael rolled his eyes and then turned back to Dean, who was currently the target of Sam's heated whispering.

"Dean, don't you dare blow this, I really like Cas! If you're having some kind of crisis then you really have to get over yourself, because I'm not leaving him high and dry! I'll marry him if you don't!"

Castiel blushed Crimson at Sam's defense of him, but still looked at Dean, who scrunched up his face and pinched Sam hard on his thigh.

"Ow, Dean!"

"The Hell you will marry Cas! The only way you're going to get even close to his wedding altar is if you're my best man!" Dean bit out. Dean turned to Castiel and whispered, "You will marry me, right? Once I've courted you and everything? I wanna do everything right for you Cas, I can't imagine my life without you. Hell, I dont know how I'd ever been happy before I met you. Do you... wanna be happy with me, too?" Dean finished eloquently. 

Sam rolled his eyes whilst massaging his now bruising thigh. At least Dean wasn't having any emotional hang ups with his relationship. He watched intently as Castiel placed his hand over Dean's and said, "Nothing would make me happier than being with you, Dean. I think that it's very wise of you to not rush things. We will take our time to know each other, and it will make our marriage all the sweeter," he said. Dean smiled widely and winked at Sam. Looked Ike Sam was going to walk Dean to the altar after all. "When we know each other so well, we will have a stable marriage, which will be all the better for our children." Dean, who was nodding along, suddenly stopped.

"Um...children?" 

Castiel cocked his head at Dean's question. "I should be upfront with you, Dean. I want children. I have waited for centuries to find my partner and have children."

Dean nodded urgently and continued, "Yeah, I want kids with you Cas, of course! But, you already have a surrogate in mind, or something?"

Castiel furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "Why would we need a surrogate? My womb is perfectly healthy."

Castiel's words were met with stunned silence from Dean and Sam. Finally, Sam managed to say, "Womb? Cas, are you a..."

Castiel's face cleared and he smiled assuringly. "Ah, I must have neglected to inform you, and you have my apologies for that. I thought you would have seen what I was, given your own supernatural states. I am male, Sam, but my grandmother on my father's side was not human," he said. "Grandmother was a faerie, a species well known for cycling through both sets of reproductive organs. Michael and I both inherited the gene for grandmother's ability, which was how he was able to bear Samandriel," he finished. "Our father sired Michael and myself, but in between he adopted up Lucifer, Raphael, and Gabriel as he travelled."

Sam nodded comprehendingly. "I realized that you weren't human, but I'd chalked that up to your being a natural born witch," he said. 

"I tend to assume that those of the magical community can already tell my inhuman nature," Castiel said. "Over the years, I became used to having my peers already knowing that I was not fully human, or only a witch. If you noticed, my magic is more benign than other witches, and I take more after my grandmother in terms of magical use."

Dean was still gaping at Castiel. "Your... womb?" he finally stuttered out. Castiel fixed him with a placid look, waiting for him to continue. Finally, Dean huffed out a small laugh. "Heh. Um, that's..." He fixed Castiel with a shy look and blushed deeply. "Will our babies have wings? That would be so awesome," Dean said with starry eyes. Castiel smiled and shook his head, glad that Dean was able to come to terms with his nature, and drew his hunter into a strangling hug. "Our kids are going to be so cute," Dean said smugly, face mushed against Castiel's shoulder. 

Sam smiled at his brother, glad that he had finally got a happy ending. He looked around at the rest of the family, who were watching with thinly disguised admiration for Dean. As a hunter struggling with his own supernaturally endowed gifts, it was surprising that he was so excited about having children with Castiel. Perhaps Dean truly had grown from the brief time he had spent with Castiel.

All of a sudden, Sam recalled something Castiel had said. "Hey Cas, who's Gabriel?"

"Gabriel," Michael sniffed, "is our brother. The reason you have not met him yet is because he has gone off to 'rediscover himself'."

"Gab!" Samandriel cooed from his father's lap.

"Seems like the little tyke likes his uncle," Dean chortled.

"He ought to," Michael said. "Gabriel was the one who delivered him, when he decided to come out early. It was after my delivery that Gabriel said that he had to rediscover himself. Apparently, seeing his nephew come out through my birthing channel was too traumatizing for him," Michael said with the barest of pouts. "Of course, that was just an excuse to travel. Kevin was present at the birth as well, but he never took off, citing trauma."

Sam watched Kevin cringe and shuffle his feet. He was not usually a betting man, but Sam would lay down his last penny on the bet that the only reason that Kevin did not leave for a while was because Lucifer had scared him into obedience. 

"I'd never leave," Kevin hurriedly said, giving Lucifer a brief, fearful glance. "There's nowhere else I'd rather be."

Lucifer gave a sugar coated, simpering smile, and glanced around at his growing family. "What a nice thing to say," he said with the barest of smiles. "There really is no place like home."

All around him, his family nodded and muttered their agreement.

Castiel and Dean linked hands.

Michael gave Lucifer a find look, which he returned, with an added dash of heated passion.

Adam fiddled with Balthazar's bracelet and leaned into Raphael, who allowed the intrusion with a bemused expression.

Sam leaned into the bookshelf and attempted to bond with it.

In the back where he went largely unnoticed, Kevin whimpered.


	10. Epilogue: A Wedding is to be Had

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is it! Thanks for reading the story, I do hope you enjoyed it.
> 
> I plan on making this a series, with prequels to the Angelus family and sequels into Castiel's and Dean's married life. If you would be interested in seeing that, or have any areas you wish to see expanded upon, please do tell me. 
> 
> Much love,
> 
> Free

One Year Later...

"Where's Michael?"

"Kitchen."

"Doing what?"

"Crying."

Castiel paused in the act of donning his black tailcoat and raised his eyebrows at Lucifer, who merely shrugged and arranged the carnation on his lapel. "Best that he gets his emotions out of the way now," he reasoned. "That way, he won't flood the hall with his tears."

"You're remarkably calm about this," Castiel observed. Lucifer gave him a small smile and a peck on his cheek.

"I'm happy. It's not everyday my baby brother gets married," he said fondly. Castiel melted into his arms, surprising Lucifer. For a moment, all he could do was hold on to his youngest brother, willing his tears prickling his eyes to fade away. When Castiel drew away, Lucifer coughed and grinned, blushing at the sudden display of affection. "I'll go get Michael to stop weeping, shall I? It won't do for him to have a stuffy nose during the ceremony." Lucifer swept out, his white coat tails flapping regally behind him.

Castiel turned to face the mirror and caught his reflection grinning back at him. There was just a hint of an otherworldly glow on his cheeks that Dean had been so quick to catch. When Castiel had told him the news about his pregnancy just last week, Dean had gone mad with joy, twirling his fiancé and kissing his still-flat stomach. When they had to be separated before the ceremony, Dean had wrung his hands with worry until Castiel had assured him that he needn't hover all the time, and Balthazar had promptly locked himself in with his harried groom, serving as a timely distraction.

Castiel hummed as Inias jumped onto his lap and nuzzled his belly, eager to see what would pop out of his human. He stroked his companion and smiled beatifically, knowing that today would be one of the happiest days of his life. 

Today, he was getting married. 

\---------

In his changing room, Dean was getting antsy.

Locked inside with him was Sam, who was trying to push a sad, blue, hanky into his pocket, "It's your something blue, Dean!", and Adam and Balthazar, plus Gabriel. The newly minted married couple was being ridiculously cutesy, and Dean was sure that it was all Balthazar's ploy to rile Dean up. 

"This takes me back to our wedding day, darling," Balthazar was saying, tapping Adam's nose. Adam giggled and tried to brush him away, only to be caught in a sly hug from behind. "What's stopping us from having our wedding night again, my sweet? We can dance, we can lie together, we can..." At this point, Balthazar reached down to nibble Adam's ear, making soft growling noises, prompting Adam to tamp down on a shrill laugh. 

"Ugh!" Dean exclaimed. "You're both disgusting! Can't you lay off of him for one day?" Dean asked. 

Balthazar shook his head gaily and replied, "You're a bloody hypocrite, Dean Winchester, I've seen you with Cassie. You're every bit as gooey as we are. One would think you're with Raphael, grouchy knickers that you are," he drawled. 

From the corner, Gabriel trotted over, shoving sour worms into his mouth. "Yeah, Dean," he said in his gratingly chipper voice. "You're so gone on our baby brother that you didn't even have a bachelor party," he pouted.

Dean frowned. It was true that both he and Castiel had chosen to forgo having a bachelor party, opting instead to stay home and look up baby names in the privacy of their room. They had decided against telling anyone yet, lest Raphael actually kill Dean for knocking Castiel up. The evening had been spent in front of the fireplace, with Dean curled around Castiel's stomach, and Inias perched on Dean's head. The cat had quickly vacated his perch once Dean and Cas had begun to engage in more vigorous activities, watching instead from the sofa, like the voyuer that he was. The memory brought a smile to Dean's face, which Gabriel was quick to snap him out of. 

"Hey! You're not allowed to do that! No dirty thoughts before the wedding to entertain yourself, especially not when you denied us our entertainment!"

"Oh please," Sam scoffed, "you don't need entertainment. You're an entertainment package in and of yourself!"

It was true. Gabriel had literally crashed into their lives three months prior, by breaking into the apartment in the middle of the night, tripping the intruder wards, and had pawed a sleeping Michael in an effort to get himself upright, resulting in his elder brother shrieking that there was a pervert groping him. Lucifer had flown into a murderous rage at the thought of an intruder molesting his husband in the middle of the night and had flung curses at the diminutive figure while Michael threw up shields to cover everyone else. The result of that particular episode was that Gabriel had been cursed to turn into a chipmunk, and had to spend the rest of the week as Samandriel's cuddle toy as punishment for not using the door like a civilized person.

Gabriel had redeemed himself by keeping Samandriel entertained during the wedding planning, and by volunteering to bake the wedding cake when he had reverted to his natural state. He kept his promise, and ended up baking a three tier dark chocolate and caramel cake, with the two groom statues on top in a rather lewd position.

Present day, Gabriel pouted harder. "That wasn't entertaining, that was traumatic! I left because I felt too much of Michael, and the first thing I feel when I come back is even more of him! It's like I never left! And none of you even attempted to defend me against Lucifer either!" He stomped and turned on his heel, pushing his lower lip out as far as it would go. "At least Sammy-boo was happy to see me," he mumbled.

Sam blushed. "I didn't even know who you were!" He spluttered.

Gabriel rolled his eyes. "My nephew Sam, not you. My nickname for you is-"

Sam was saved from spontaneous combustion by Kevin, who opened the door at just that moment. After his decade of apprenticeship, Lucifer had finally deemed him 'not a disgrace', and had freed him, declaring him a full witch at last. After one week of freedom, Kevin had found himself a job at the family shop, brewing potions and slicing gecko innards at his former master's side. However, unlike during his apprenticeship, Kevin seemed actually happy, his only source of discomfort being that he still lived in the room next to the happily oblivious Michael and Lucifer.

"They're ready for you, Dean," he said.

Dean jumped up, dragging Sam with him. It was time to get this show on the road.

\------------

The ceremony itself was simple, but left not one dry eye in the room, not even Raphael's.

Michael walked Castiel down the aisle, managing to restrain his tears admirably. It took a little prying to get him to release Castiel, though. Sam walked -bounced- Dean down the aisle, much to the latter's consternation. Lucifer presided over the ceremony with aplomb, watching with narrowed eyes as Dean drew Castiel into a passionate kiss. 

During the first dances, Michael and Lucifer each had their turns dancing with Castiel, while Sam danced with Dean, much to the latter's discomfort at the disparity in their heights. Dean was happy to get his hands on Castiel for their first dance, twirling him away from Michael and Lucifer's watchful eyes, while Raphael played a soulful tune on the violin. Gradually, more couples began to drift onto the dance floor, including Adam and Balthazar, Kevin and his girlfriend Channing, and finally, Sam and Gabriel, despite the taller man looking quite out of sorts as Gabriel kept squeezing his bottom.

Towards the end, Castiel teared up a bit while remembering his father, but Lucifer was quick to assure him that Charles Angelus was probably alright, even though he had been trapped in Avalon for the past two centuries. Michael went on to add that during the next full moon, he had arranged it to that Charles could briefly see through the portal connecting the faerie realm and Earth, as a wedding present from their side. Dean gulped, hoping that their father was nowhere as intimidating as his two eldest sons.

All in all, the day went by without any major hiccups, and Dean soon found himself with his new husband. He wasted no time in bringing him to their bed and promptly lay his ear on Castiel's stomach.

"Can you hear me in there? Kick once for yes," Dean said.

Castiel giggled and swatted Dean's head. "The baby hasn't even developed ears yet, Dean. It'll be months before it will be able to respond."

"Yeah? How long?"

Castiel leaned back against the backboard and said contemplatively, "Well, faeries gestate for sixth months, but seeing that I'm human as well, it should be closer to eight months for me. It was for Michael, I remember."

Dean quivered in excitement. He had the best husband in the world, and was soon going to have a baby as well. Life couldn't get much better than this, he thought, as he fell back into his pillows and closed his eyes.

"You know," Castiel called, "pregnant people often feel urges, Dean. I think that one particular urge is settling upon me now..."

Dean sprang up, alert. "You craving something to eat, Cas?"

Castiel looked at Dean through his thick eyelashes and mumbled, "Not to eat, particularly. It is of a more... carnal nature."

Dean wasted no time in satisfying his husband, drawing out pleased gasps and moans from the both of them. Life really couldn't get much better than this.

\-------------

"Really, Lucifer? Now?"

Lucifer whined. "You know that weddings put me in the mood, Michael!" He said, pawing desperately at Michael's clothes. 

"You're a hopeless romantic," Michael snickered as he shed his clothes fully.

"Huh?" Lucifer asked, too busy staring at Michael in all his naked glory.

"Oh, come here," Michael giggled, pulling Lucifer on top of him. For his part, Lucifer fell with Michael, completely willing.

\----------------

In between the bedrooms of the two happy couples lay another bedroom, one that was too often forgotten. Kevin Tran, who resided in said bedroom, was not happy by any stretch of the imagination, even as happy noises danced around his ears.

Kevin pressed his pillows over both his ears and cast silencing charms over the adjoining walls in a futile attempt to quell the noises filtering through. This continued for a good half hour before both couples decided that they had had enough. Like a mole coming out of its burrow, Kevin peeked from his protective pillow fort, and once satisfied that he would not be subjected to more torturous happy noises, snuggled into his blankets. Perhaps he too could find happiness.

"Ah! Dean!" Castiel could be particularly loud.

From the other room, Michael groaned, "Mm, Luce..."

Kevin wept. It was just not meant to be.


End file.
